Beet blocking machine



June 3948.

L. B. JKAISER 1mm swcxmemcnmn 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1944 June a L. B. KAISER BEET BLOCKING momma 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1944 i affzzz'aer Jame & ma. LB. KAISER BEET BLOCKING MACHINE Filed May 31., 1944 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 8, W4. 1... B. KABSER BEE-T- BLOCKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 51, 1944 Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE BEET N Lawrence B. Kaiser, Fort Recovery, Ohio Application May 31, 1944, Serial No. 538,128

3 Claims. (01. 97-15) This invention relates to a machine for bloc ing and hoeing row crops such as sugar beets, cotton, or the like in which the machine is adapted to travel along the rows and to accomplish blocking or hoeing operations which closely simulate hand or manual performance of such operations.

According to the invention, the machine is adapted to be adjusted for blocking a row, in

which case one or more hoes are caused to rotate substantially at right angles to the row in such a manner as to make a series of fiat or straight cuts therethrough at spaced intervals along the length thereof as the machine travels along the row. The machine also is adapted to be ad justed for hoeing between the rows, in which case the aforesaid hoes are caused to rotate in a plane parallel to the rows as the machine travels therewith.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the invention takenin connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a beet blocking machine constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention and adjusted for blocking of row crops,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a somewhat enlarged rear elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1, certain parts being omitted and other parts being broken away,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane of line 4-4.of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the axle, wheel, and wheel retainer,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the hoe assembly as viewed along the line 11 of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fi ure 7,

Figure 9 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1 with the rotary hoe assembly adjusted for hoeing between row crops, and

Figure 10 is a sectional view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line lll-l of Figure 9. v

Referring now to the drawings for a more de tailed description of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a wheel supported frame having a hitch or draw bar I! and a pair of depending 2 bearing blocks 12, Figure 3, in which an axle l3 1 is journalled and maintained in fixed axial relation therewith by means of set screw collars l4 secured to the shaft adjacent to said bearings 1 respectively. A pair of wheels I is mounted the axle, and each wheel is secured in an axially adjusted position thereon by means of a wheel retaining member l6 which comprises an annular portion I1 adapted slidably to engage the cylindrical hub portion l8 of the wheel and a bifurcated portion l9 adapted to be clamped to the axle when the bolts and nuts therefor generally designated 2| are drawn up tight.

A clutch 22 is associated with one of the wheels 15 and may be of any suitable type adapted to lock the wheel to the axle when the clutch control member 23 is operated as by a rod 24 operatively secured thereto and extended therefrom to the operators station.

A bevel gear 25 is secured to the axle l3 for rotation therewith and meshes with a bevel gear '26 formed on the end of a shaft 21. Shaft 21 is mounted for rotation on a U-shaped swing frame 28 which is pivotally supported on the axle and maintained in fixed axial position thereon as by a set screw collar l4 and bevel gear 25.

A longitudinal bore 29 of non-circular cross section is provided in shaft 21 for receiving interflttingly therewith a transmission shaft 30 whereby shaft 30 is locked for rotation with shaft 21 and is adapted to move axially with respect thereto. Shaft 30 is arranged to drive a stub shaft 3| by means of a universal joint 32 connected therebetween, the stub shaft being disposed in 'a horizontal plane above the axle l3.

Shaft 3| has a plate 33 formed on the opposite end thereof by means of which plate the shaft is secured as by a plurality of bolts 34 to a circular plate 35. Plate 35 isarranged to rotate in an opening 33 provided therefor in a rectangular plate 31, plate 35 for this purpose being provided with an annular tongue portion 38 adapted to be received into registered engagement with a flange 39 formed integrally with plate 31 and a retaining ring 40 secured thereto as by a plurality of screws 4|.

Plate 31 on the sides thereof is provided with tongue portions 42 adapted to be received slidably in U-shapecl channels 43 respectively. Channels 43 comprise parts of auxiliary frame members 44 which are rigidly secured to a standard 45 in any suitable manner, the standard in turn being removably secured to the frame ill for rotation on whereby the standard and the parts connected thereto may be mounted on the frame as shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein the machine is arranged for blocking row crops or may be mounted as shown in Figure 9 wherein the machine is arranged for hoeing between the rows.

The standard is supported rigidly on the frame In by suitable braces 46 connected therebetween and pivotally supports a bell crank 41 which is connected by a link 48 to the rectangular plate 31. The standard also supports a toothed segment 49 adapted to receive a detent carried by the bell crank 41 whereby plate 31 may be adjusted vertically to a plurality of positions as the bell crank is adjusted with respect to the segment. For this purpose a lever 52 is operatively secured to the bell crank and extended toward the operator's station, the lever including a detent releasing rod 53 and a bell crank 54 connected between the rod and the detent 5|- A bearing block 55 is secured to the circular plate 35 as by screws 56 in such a manner as to receive shaft 51 substantially radially with respect to plate 35. Shaft 51 carries a block 58 which is secured thereto as by a pin 59. Block 58 is generally of angular configuration with gussets 6| extending between the sides thereof and having vertically elongated holes 62 through which screws 63 secured to the plate 35 extend and having an arcuate portion 64 dependent therefrom. A coil spring 65 is disposed between blocks 55 and 58 whereby block 58 is yieldably urged into engagement with a tempered block 66 secured to plate 31 as by screws 61 which pass through vertically elongated holes 68 provided in block 66. Collar otherwise maintains shaft 51 in position.

By reason of the yieldable engagement between blocks 58 and 66, shaft 51 is caused to traverse a horizontal path during the engagement of these members as the plate 35 rotates, the length of the horizontal path being varied by vertical adjustment of block 66 with respect to plate 31. Thus, the knife or blade 69 secured to shaft 51 is caused to make fiat or straight cuts through the rows as the shaft rotates.

Knife 69 is secured as by rivets 1| to a. pair of brackets 12 by means of which the knife is secured as by a pair of pins 13 and 14 to the end of the shaft 51, pin 14 preferably being formed of wood so that the wooden pin will be broken in the event that the hoe strikes a stone or snag. In such case the hoe assembly will tilt about the pin 13 and pass over the obstruction, thereby protecting the machine from damage.

As the machine is propelled along the rows by any suitable means connected to the hitch ll thereof, power from one of the wheels is transmitted to the axle when the clutch 22 associated therewith is operated. the other wheel, being freely. mounted for rotation on the axle, permitting the machine to make turns while the machine is in operation.

Power at the axle is transmitted through bevel gears 25, 26, transmission shaft 30. and stub shaft 3| thereby to drive plate 35 and the hoe assembly secured thereto in the direction of arrow 16, Figure 3. As block 58 moves along block 66, block 58 is forced to abandon the circular motion thereof and, accordingly, moves along a horizontal path, thus causing the knife 69 to make a flat cut through the row, which flat cut simulates hand blocking. Such a cut is made for each rotation of the shaft 51, and the spacing or timing of the cuts as the machine moves along the rows is determined by the speed of rotation of the shaft 51 in relation to the propelling or forward speed of the machine, the proper size bevel gears being chosen to provide the desired spacing between successive cuts. Moreover, it will be understood that a plurality of hoe assemblies each of which comprises a shaft 51 and parts connected thereto and forming supports therefor may be mounted in different radial positions on plate 35 such that the number of cuts for each rotation of the plate may be increased and thereby permit a relatively slower speed of rotation of the plate for the same forward speed of the machine,

6 thus obviating premature wearing of the parts.

In the hoeing operationof the machine, the

, standard and parts connected thereto are Knife 69 preferably is tilted on shaft 51 such I that the cutting edge 15 of the knife forms somewhat more than a right angle with the shaft as best appears in Figures 3 and 7. The knife also preferably is attached to the shaft such'that the 'knife forms slightly less than a right angle to the frame l0 thereby to cause the trailing end of the cutting edge to hit the row first to compensate for the forward movement of the machine.

In the blocking operation of the machine, wheels l5 are adjusted on axle l3 such that each wheel is centered with respect to the rows adjacent thereto and the axis of rotation of plate 35 is disposed within the vertical plane of the row to be blocked. Lever 52 is adjusted to raise or lower rectangular'plate 31 according to the depth of cut desired, and block 66 is adjusted relative to plate 31 in accordance with the leng of the straight out desired.

mounted on the frame III as shown in Figure 9, and the position of the swing frame is changed substantially as illustrated thereon. With the parts in these positions, the driving connection between shafts 21 and 3| is completed by a second stub shaft 11 which is journalled in a bracket 18 secured to ring "as by screws 19 and thereby mounted on plate 31. Shaft 11 has a bevel gear 8| formed therewith which meshes with a bevel gear 82 formed on shaft 3| which also may be journalled in bracket 18, if desired. A suitable opening 83 is provided in the auxiliary frame member 44 adjacent the swing frame to permit passage of the transmission shaft 30 therethrough, the shaft being connected to stub shaft 11 by universal joint 32 which is shifted from stub shaft 3! for this purpose. As in the case of the arrangement for blocking, the transmission shaft assumes an adjusted position with respect to shaft 21 as plate 31 is raised and lowered.

It may be desirable to employ wider knives for hoeing between the rows. This readily may be accomplished merely by removing the pins 13, 14 and inserting a, knife assembly of desired width.

With the several parts of the machine adiusted as described in the foregoing, the wheels are adjusted on the axle such that each wheel is centered with respect to the rows adjacent thereto and such that the shaft 51 lies in a vertical plane disposed centrally of a pair of adjacent rows between which a hoeing operation is to be performed, the operation of the machine otherwise being the same as for blocking.

It will be obvious that the invention may be adapted as an implement on a tractor in which a hydraulic hoist may be employed for raising and lowering the -hoe assembly and in which several implements may be employed for working several rows at a time, all ofthe implements being driven from the same or different powertake-ofl points on the tractor, if desired. Or the invention may be adapted as a self propelling unit for use in truck gardening, in which case the machine may take the proportions of a power lawn mower, for example.

While the invention has been described in particularity with respect to an example thereof which gives satisfactory results, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains that the same is susceptible of additional examples and variations thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention;

1. A machine for blocking and hoeing row crops comprising, in combination, a frame having supporting wheels and adapted to travel along the rows, an auxiliary frame including a standard supported on said frame, a plate slidably sup ported by said auxiliary frame for vertical movement with respect thereto, means supported by said standard for vertically adjusting said plate to any one of a plurality of different positions with respect to the auxiliary frame, -a circular plate mounted for rotation on said slidable plate, a shaft radially disposed with respect to said circular plate and mounted for axial movement thereon, and for rotation therewith, means for yieldably urging said shaft into a radially extended position, a knife or hoe carried by said shaft, means comprising engageable members carried by said shaft and said slidable plate respectively for causing the knife to traverse a straight path during the engagement of said members as the circular platerotates, and driving connections including a clutch between one of said wheels and said circular plate for imparting rotation thereto as the frame advances along the connected thereto, a shaft radially disposed with respect to said circular plate and mounted for axial movement thereon and for rotation therewith, means for yieldably urging said shaft into a radially extended position, a knife or hoe carried by said shaft, means comprising engageable members carried by said shaft and said slidable plate respectively for causing the knife to traverse a straight path during the engagement of said members as the circular plate rotates, and means for adjusting said member carried by the slidable plate for adjustment with respect thereto thereby to vary the length of said straight path.

3. In a machine forblocking and hoeing row crops, the combination of a, normally stationary plate having a circular opening therein, a circular plate mounted for rotation in said circular opening and adapted to be connected to a suitable source of power for imparting rotary movement thereto, a shaft radially disposed with respect to said circular plate and mounted for axial movement thereon and for rotation therewith, means for yieldably urging said shaft into a radially extended position, a knife or hoe carried by the shaft, and a pair of mutually engageable members carried by the shaft and stationary plate respectively for causing the knife to traverse a straight path during the engagement of said members as the circular plate rotates.

- LAWRENCE B. KAISER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

France Aug. 28, 1939 

